WWE 2K18: Release Date, Roster Analysis and More

If one wanted to make a wrestler comparison for the WWE 2K18 roster, Braun Strowman would do just fine. 

It is quite the monster. From cover star Seth Rollins to NXT rising stars to cruiserweights and beyond, the team at 2K Sports have once again put in the time to reflect the ever-changing WWE roster as it happens. 

Set for a Tuesday release for those who didn't secure the digital deluxe edition, fans of WWE and the game will have a hard time pointing out omissions this year.

To put the roster in perspective, 2K games slapped down an image of it: 

And this isn't even close to the roster's final form, not with names such as Jeff Hardy, Drew McIntyre and Aleister Black, to name a few, available at a later date in the form of planned downloadable content. 

One of the bigger talking points outside of the roster itself will center on ratings. Cageside Seats provided the details, and there aren't many surprises near the top of the food chain. 

Roman Reigns sits on a 95, with Brock Lesnar close behind at 93. He's tied with John Cena, who just edges out Seth Rollins and Demon Finn Balor at 92. The sidelined Samoa Joe, Braun Strowman and current champ Jinder Mahal all sit on an 88 rating. 

Then there's Shane McMahon, who while entertaining as recently as Hell in a Cell, sits on an 84. Or, put another way, he's tied with many superstars, ranging from Big Cass to Sami Zayn and beyond. 

No release was going to be without controversy in the ratings department, though, and those ratings have to walk the fine line between helping the broadcasts make sense and pleasing fans from all ends of the spectrum. 

And at the end of the day, little in the way of ratings and roster matter if the rest of the game isn't enjoyable. 

Luckily for fans, 2K games hits this year simply building on an already-strong offering with small tweaks to refine gameplay and provide fans with long-requested items. 

One of the best creation suits in all sporting games as a whole returns with obvious improvements and depth, but it isn't the biggest story. 

No, the real story centers on how players can create a character in MyCareer, then let said character run wild in both a MyPlayer mode and the new Road to Glory.

The former is a more open-ended mode this time around, brushing aside the menu-based system in favor of meaningful interactions with superstars that help form alliances and rivalries. When there isn't a major storyline going, 2K18 veers more into the realm of an RPG with side quests. 

The second mention there, Road to Glory, is the biggest talking point surrounding the game outright. The new mode is an online affair mirroring real-life pay-per-views. Players create a character and fight for the right to appear on these monster cards, earning rewards as they go. 

Call it a long-awaited feature from the WWE offering. Games in other sporting realms have had the ability to jump into a season during the current timeline for a few years now, though WWE is a different animal entirely given the deep customization offered to players and the seemingly endless WWE events taking place each month. 

Graphics and gameplay refinements top off the list of obvious, yet highlight-worthy talking points atop the strong work done on the roster. The graphics take another step during this console generation thanks to better lighting options, and the gameplay itself gets more versatile with the implementation of a new carry system that encourages interaction with the environment while taking real-world weights into account to ensure realism. 

This is the nice thing about a WWE game with a yearly release, though. It never feels like a simple roster update like other sports games do because so much can dramatically shift for superstars over the course of a year. Characters, alliances, attire, entrances, call ups, injuries—all things hitting WWE and making it feel fresh on a monthly basis is reflected in 2K18. 

The typical sports-game improvements for annual installments are also here, so don't forget those amid the monstrous roster when the game launches Tuesday.